Speak up or Shut up?

When is silence the voice of complicity and when is silence a spiritual discipline of humility?  I admire people who stay positive and hold to the view that they are in such need of grace that it would be preposterous to draw attention to someone else's faults.  I really strive to live this way.  At the same time, I see so much done in "the name of Jesus" that represents a Jesus that I don't recognize.  And please understand that I'm not foolish enough to believe that my view of Jesus, scripture, ecclesiology, etc. has finally "arrived" and is a standard of Orthodoxy.  These "Jesus proclamations" often come in the form of an "image of Jesus" that endorses an individual, church, or organization's political, social, ethical or theological agenda.  It is when these agendas feel idolatrous and destructive to people created in the Imago Dei, that I feel the urge to speak up and criticize the abuse of scripture, Christianity, Jesus, and people.  Right now in my city there is a church (which seems to have a goal to be a mega-church force of the future) run by a pastor, whom the KC Star newspaper has recently called a "Jerry Falwell wannabee." I have witnessed a nearly three decade stream of people trashed by this individual and his various ministries.  In a passionate attempt to keep himself in the local and national media, his behavior has become increasingly bizarre.  This is a church program that speaks out against Hollywood and the entertainment industry but would be seriously amiss for program ideas and would not know how to market themselves without the appearance of the latest media or entertainment star who has something to say about God.  At the same time I do not believe that this pastor is a charlatan to the core (although I may be a bit naive).  And I also know that this church is filled with wonderful people who genuinely love Jesus.  I am just embarrassed that this high profile attempt to be someone important is creating so much harm to biblical, authentic Christianity.  OK, I just got a phone call from Tony Jones and after talking to him for a half hour I have calmed down... so this just may be the only post I will ever make that dances dangerously close to a public, name-calling rant of a brother in ministry who is dangerously close to falling off the deep-end... on the other hand this may just be continued in the near future...

Comments

[will]

Mike,

I love your heart and what you wrote here. Like you, I live with this question. So hard, my friend. Some of us (I would count myself in this group) have an even harder time with it because we were part of what actually caused some of the negative elements to exist in our society and in the Church. Then one day you look around and think, "Holy crap, did I do that?"

All I can offer is the advice of Ghandi, which is that we "must be the change that we want to see in this world." As tempting as it is to go ballistic on actions that see as so contrary to the work of Christ, responding in kind only continues the process. The way out of the negative is always with the positive.

[Larry]

Mike:

I don't know you, but I frequently read your blog as it always makes me think. This one really hit home.

I was recently visiting a local large church in Southern Johnson County, Kansas. I was invited by a friend, and was impressed by the overall size of the church and the service. However, after the service my friend and I encountered a group of young adults who were trying to console one of their friends. My friend knew one of the people, and talked to him briefly; and then we left to drive home. My friend told me on the way home that the young lady who was in tears, had just been cut from the praise team vocal group. It wasn't because she wasn't able to sing well or not commited to Christ and the Praise Choir. She was dismissed because the pastor thought she was too overweight and therefore did not project the right image.

I could not believe this, image and the production of the service were more important than the dedicated service of this woman. I can't imagine what this act did to this young person, but I know this is not Christian justice. It probably did not do any good, but I sent a letter to the pastor and urged him to rethink his decision and his approach.

I think when we see injustice, especially in the name of Christ, we must "speak up". Justice is the responsibility of every believer in Christ. To not take some action or allow the injustice to go unchallenged when these things happen is to allow injustice to flourish and go unchecked.

Therefore, I applaude your comments.

Larry

[Mike]

The comments by Will and Larry are so excellent and demonstrate so well the tension I feel on this subject. I agree with them both. Will reminds us that we must be the change we want to see and challenges us that responding in the manner in which we are criticizing perpetuates the problem. OK, I'm convinced and then Larry comments. I don't think it is a coincidence that the church I posted about is also in southern Johnson County. Larry writes, "I think when we see injustice, especially in the name of Christ, we must 'speak up.' Justice is the responsibility of every believer in Christ. To not take some action or allow the injustice to go unchallenged when these things happen is to allow injustice to flourish and go unchecked." OK, how do we synthesize these two comments? This is a dynamic complexity of life for me. I pray for wisdom and leading of the Holy Spirit. I also pray, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

[jason]

hmmm.. southern johnson county.... megachurch wannabe.... national media.... this sounds familiar.

guys, i completely agree. mike, i also agree - the folks that attend a church like that, for the most part, are jesus-loving folks. in fact, i know some folks pretty well that attend a church that *geographically* fits the description (hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge) and i have watched their lives change - seriously. and they see the junk that larry talks about, and mike eludes to. but they also know that is where god has them right now. and its good. its helped them navigate through some crap in their lives that they think (and i sorta agree, knowing the details) would not have had the same perspective being other places. in fact, they have said they feel closer to god there than anywhere they have ever been (and from what i know, they have been church shopping for quite some time) - so i guess it *can* be powerful, to some, in certain situations.

personally, it makes me sick sometimes. i hope that i never turn on the tv in the morning and am able to **watch** jw on the tv rather than be able to live in my community together. to me, my tv is not community. :)

[timsamoff]

And I'm thinking that this is the same tension I feel when I see a certain pastor on television on Sunday mornings... Could it be? ;)

Good stuff, guys... There is a lot here in just a few words.

The question is (as Jason speaks of): How do we cope with the fact that this does authentically feed some people?

I am thankful that God works in so many ways... It gives me hope for some of the opinions that I have.

BUT, as Larry brought up, justice is an important issue here. I keep saying this to people, but when Claude Nikondeha's session becomes available on the Emergent Village site, go listen -- it is a must. He is so insightful about including justice in "church."

I wish I had a definitive point here, but know that you all have gotten me thinking, at least! :)

[jon myers]

ok, i'm young and right now i'm in the middle of a big burn by a consumer driven church, BUT i think the kind of christianity that is being spoken of here is sickening. i'll be the one to go ahead and say it, I think it is sickening to God. yeah i know all the right rhetoric about God meeting us where we are and that good intentioned christians do attend these churches. I think those cliche's become excuses real quickly. I think churches like willow creek, saddleback, first family, church of the resurrection, and even mars hill are inherently toxic to the gospel and to our society. everyone else's kindness and grace are going to have to extend over to my comment because right now i don't have any toward these kinds of churches and forms of christianity. we need a continued prophetic group (emergent and others) to speak up and out against these kinds of injustices. sorry to put a damper on this conversation, just my 2 and a half cents.

[mike]

Jon, Jon, my friend Jon... "inherently toxic" describing all those churches seems a bit extreme. I love you! Breathe deep the breath of God.

[Mike]

The Disclaimer!

The opinions expressed in this comment stream do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog author.

Smile :)

[Jess]

Speak Up.

[Paul]

I'm torn on this issue as well. I respect passion, in so many different settings both religious and non. Fire. Raw unadulterated energy. But, energy also has the possibilty of such destruction. Implosion. I think we've all been guilty of being overzealous, thinking we have an answer and pushing our answer on someone else. So, let's have grace on this person and hope that he learns to funnel his passion and energy in the right direction. I've seen this happen where legalism can turn to grace. It's powerful!

[joshfillingham]

i don't speak up much but i thought this was an intresting subject and it is something that i have wrestled with. i don't think that i have any deep insights, but after reading larry's response i thought of micha 6:8-"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
this seems to be a problem on how to walk humbly and respond to injustice. how this verse plays out in this paticular situation is hard. in all things i think we must act in love, love for God and love for His crearures. i have enjoyed the questions and comments following.

josh fillingham

[jon myers]

well, it's hard to get a good conversation going without an extreme position, which is definitely where i was going. hoping someone would take the bait. i guess all of mike's readers are too chill for that. that's a good thing.

i will stand by my belief that there isn't much that i would consider "Gospel" coming out of the mega-church and fundamentalist movements/churches.

if anyone can give me some good things that are coming out of these churches, i'm willing to listen.

[Steve]

Hmm I like the comments that have been said so far for the most part I have agreed. I seem to sit in a dangerous spot; post-fundamentalist but also cynical to those who label themselves as, "progressive". Unlike some of the posts I have seen some good from mega-churches, Antioch in Waco, Greg Boyd's in Minnnesota, and I think Willow Creek and Saddleback to some extent. I like your thoughts Mike and your honestey. I think its important that while we criticize this sort of conservative, fundamentalist, mega-church, pop theology, movement, that we we remain extremly honest with ourselves. I have noticed in my own experience with others in the emergent movement or "progressive movement" that have pointed out the hypocripsy of those fundamentalist labeling them pharisees. But at the same time would never really accept someone who likes Max Lucado, and Michael W. Smith, and Bruce Wilkerson as an, "authentic Christian" and write them off in a hearbeat. I guess agape love with a prophetic voice through all this..........??? Good stuff Mike!

[Mike]

I didn't think this stream would lead me into defending mega-churches. I have friends at COR, Saddleback, Willow Creek and First Family who passionately love God. I hung out yesterday with Bo Boshears from Willow Creek Association. He has been there for around 20 years. Bo is a passionate follower of Jesus who is on a journey with Christ that is deep and growing. We have had wonderful conversations about ecclesiology, spirituality, youth ministry, formation, theology, etc. Lee Jost at COR is a deep and thoughtful youth worker. Doug Fields and Kurt Johnson are excellent youth workers at Saddleback. Anyway, while I don't see spiritual formation and living in community as followers of Jesus being done most effectively in the mega-church environment I am not going to spend my time criticizing them. My original frustration was more directed at those who are hooking up their church marketing strategies to media attention they get by running from one political (right wing) issue to the next and who focus on managing an image of self righteousness. OK, enough for now...

[girl]

Thanks Mike, for redirecting your original thread. It was getting entirely to iffy for my taste. While I find problems in these churches, I also find problems in my own church... and it's emergent. We are human and immerfect, and so our ministry will be human and imperfect. While I can't stand my parents church, they love it, and truly get fed there. I say, good for them. I also agree with your frustration about Churches hooking their bandwagon to one issue and then the next. However, my bigger issue is why does the church need market strategies in the first place? I actually saw a book the other day that talked about how we need to market Jesus to others to make him attractive. He talked about life being a business. There are many other things that point to how we run our churches as businesses; banners in the front lawn of the next preaching series and why you need to hear it, Churches adopting mottos and advertising them with words like "inclusive, friendly, loving, non-judgemental, compassionate, etc." Shouldn't people automatically associate those words with us, as followers of Christ. I guess they don't, or we wouldn't be trying so hard to make Jesus "more marketable." Just my two cents, and a humbly submitted post.